Table-lectern



Oct. 17, 1967 J. L. KIRALY ,1 4 TABLE-LECTERN Filed Feb. 14, 1966 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3

INVENTOR Joseph L. Kiruly WITNESS BY AM, 5. 121M911.

ATTORNEY J. L. KIRALY TABLE-LECTERN 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1966INVENTOR.

BY Joseph L. Klraly WITNESS JIM/17 5 840112119 7%.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,347,184 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3,347,184TABLE-LECTERN Joseph L. Kiraly, 18190 Lovell Road, Spring Lake, Mich.49456 Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,338 4 Uaims. (Cl. 10817)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE This invention contemplates a lecternstructure supported by a table, desk, or the like wherein the lecternstructure is provided with a supporting panel which may assume aposition coplanar with the top of the desk or table, and which mayassume positions above and at an angle to the desk or table top. Thesupporting panel is movable through pivoted linkages relative to theframe of the desk or table. The supporting panel can be latched in anyof its selected positions, and biasing arrangements are employed toprevent sudden collapse of the supporting panel as it is shifted fromits elevated to its lowered position.

This invention provides a multiple-position structure capable offunctioning as a lectern in elevated positions, and as all or part of atable or desk in the fully lowered position. A speaker in a businessconference, or a lecturer in a meeting, may muster his notes whileseated and awaiting his time to speak. As he rises to speak, he can pullthe lectern up with him, with his notes and presentation materials stillplaced and sorted as he had them. In the preferred form of theinvention, the lectern moves away from the'speaker as it rises, thuscontributing to his standing room and removing the necessity to shufflechairs as each speaker begins and completes his presentation. Thisfeature is particularly valuable when a series of speakers is arrayed ata table on a raised platform, commonly too small to permit suchmaneuvering of chairs. A movable lectern as provided by this inventionat each speakers place is a great convenience, as movement of thespeakers to and from a fixed central lectern is eliminated.

The several features of the invention will be analyzed in further detailthrough a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a table with the lectern in thefully elevated position.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation on a reduced scale from that of FIGURE 1, fromthe speakers side of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the unit in the FIGURE 1 position.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of one of the linkmembers supporting the lectern panel.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the loweredand locked position of the structure.

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 show three different positions of the movablebarrier strip lectern.

FIGURE 9 shows an intermediate elevated positionof the lecternstructure.

FIGURE 10 shows a second intermediate position of the lectern in whichit isuseful as a drawing board.

FIGURE 11 shows the fully lowered position of the structure.

FIGURE 12 is a schematic view showing a convenient position for alectern structure in a conference table.

FIGURE 13 shows a view in which a lectern structure forms the right sideof a desk.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged at the speakers edge ofthe V scale showing an alternate form of biasing system for balancingthe lectern structure.

The unit shown in FIGURE 1, and in the related views, includes a framewhich may be considered as composed of the legs 20-23, the shorthorizontal front members 24 and 25 at the speakers side of the unit, thehorizontal bars 26 and 27, transverse bars as shown at 28 and 29, and agroup of three modesty panels 30-32 extending around three sides of theframe. The table panels 33 and 34 may also be considered as part of thefixed frame, and a lectern panel 35 moves from the elevated positionshown in FIGURE 2 down into a fully lowered position in which it is inedgewise and co-planar alignment with the fixed table surfaces 33 and34. It should be noted that the panel 35 moves laterally in a directionaway from the speaker as it rises from the lowered position of FIG- URE11 to the raised position of FIGURES 1 and 3. This movement providesadditional standing room for the speaker, since the horizontal bars 26and 27 are both disposed beyond the speaker from the vertical projectionof the edge 36 of the lectern panel.

The structure for supporting the lectern panel 35 is based upon a doublelinkage which is pivotally con nected to the underside of the lecternpanel 35 for rotation along two parallel and spaced axes. One of theselinks is formed by the panel 37 which has a piano type hinge 38connection along one edge to the bar 26, with the opposite edge beingconnected at the piano hinge 39 to the panel 35. The link panel 37 ispreferably a sheet of steel with a marginal flange 40 extending aroundall four edges.

The link bars 41 and 42 remain in parallelism, and are pivotallyconnected at the opposite ends for rotation oncommon axes. The upperends of these bars are connected to the underside of the panel 35 at thehinges 43, and the lower ends are connected to the horizontal bar 27 atthe hinges 44. A positioning link 45 is pivotally connected to the bar41 at 46, and has a slot 47 slidably embracing the pin 48 mounted on themember 28 of the frame. A series of notches 49 are engageable with thepin 48 at various positions of elevation of the panel 35, and thesenotches may be formed in such a way as to provide a tight wedging actionthat will minimize lost motion or rattling of the device in the lockedposition. It is preferable to provide some form of balancing actionwhich will attenuate the effect of gravity on the panel 35 so that itdoes not slam down into the fully closed position, and thus injure thefingers of the user of the structure. Without this provision, thescissoring action between the panel 35 and the adjacent fixed tablepanels 33 and 34 provides a source of danger. The biasing action may beprovided either by the diagonal coil spring 50 extending between thebracket 51, secured to the panel 35, at a point of connection on theflange 40. Alternatively, the arrangement shown in FIGURE 14 may beused.In the latter, the piano hinge 39 has one of the interengaged elementsremoved to provide space for the coil spring 39a surrounding the hingepin 52. The end 53 of the spring bears against the leaf 54, and the end55 against the leaf 56 to produce a tendency for the hinge to open,which corresponds to the elevated position of the panel 35. The tendencyfor the panel to slam downward is at a maximumjust prior to the fullylowered position, because of the relative position of the center ofgravity of the panel and of the hinges 38 and 44. It will be noted thatthe degree of deflection of both the spring 39a and the spring 50 willbe at a maximum .at that time, although the spring 50 will tend to reachan over center toggle position which will reduce its biasing effect. Aproper selection of spring force and rate, together with a selection ofthe points of attachment of the spring, can

3 be made to determine the desired characteristics of the device.

The relative movement of the link panel 37 with respect to the panel 35(about the hinge axis 39) can be utilized to provide a convenientlocking action. Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, a latch 57 ismounted on the link panel 37, with the bolt 58 projecting through anopening in the marginal flange 40. The latch 57 is positioned at aninterrupted portion in the piano hinge 38, which provides clearance forthe keeper 59 secured to the underside of the lectem panel 35 to move onan arcuate path that carries it between the edge of the panel 37 and thecorner of the bar 26. This position is shown in FIG- URE 5, and it ispreferable that an opening opposite the position of the bolt 58 beprovided in the bar 26 for clearance. When the bolt 58 is engaged withthe keeper 59, the lectern panel 35 is firmly secured in the fullylowered position. The bolt 57 may be retracted by pulling on the rod 60,which terminates in a grip ring 61, with the rod preferably being guidedby the member 62 secured to the link panel 37.

It is preferable to include an adjustable barrier strip 63 at thespeakers edge of the lectern panel 35, although this particular deviceis well-known and forms no part of the present invention. The inclinedposition of the panel as it is elevated makes it desirable to utilizethis standard arrangement to prevent material on the lectern panel fromslipping off onto the floor. The strip 63 has a group of at least twoslots 64 (refer to FIG- URES 6, 7 and 8) which are engaged with thescrews 65 entering into the edge of the panel 35. The degree of slant ofthe slots 64 is preferably selected so that it is less than thecoefficient of friction, so that the strip will tend to maintainwhatever position in which it might be placed.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 12 is particularly well adapted toconference rooms of moderate size. A group of people may be seatedaround a table, with the end position being reserved for the principalspeaker. When the panel 66 is in the down position, it is in edgewiseand coplanar alignment with the table surface 67, so that the tableretains its original full utility. The arrangement shown in FIGURE13 isintended primarily for use in teaching. The panel unit 68 represents oneside of a desk, and the lowered position of the panel 68pmduces theusual coplanar desk surface including a fixed surface 69. It isnoteworthy that the fixed surfaces alongside the movable lectern panelare very useful for supporting exhibits, projectors, or for any otherequipment or demonstration items used in the course of the presentation.The upright position of the linkpanel 37 may also have additionalutility, of the type shown in FIGURE 1. The public address systemspeaker 70 can be mounted very easily in the panel 37, and it swingsupward into the best sound-projecting system as the lectern panel 36 israised. The link panel 37 may also carry printed material or other formsof equipment, and all of this should be mounted to swing down betweenthe bars 26 and 27 as the panel 35 is lowered.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have beenillustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only andare not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appendedclaims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire inventiondisclosed herein, except as .I am limited by the prior ant.

I claim:

1. A table-lectern structure, comprising:

a supporting frame; and

a lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said framefor combined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panelbetween raised and lowered positions with respect to said frame, saidframe having components thereof extending directly underneath saidpanel, all of said components being disposed beyond the verticalprojection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lecternpanel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to saidraised position, said frame including a table structure having a cut-outarea receiving said lectern panel in the lowered position thereof incoplanar relationship with a fixed table surface.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said means connecting saidlectern panel to said frame includes a lock having a bolt mounted forsliding movement parallel to the plane of said link panel, said lockalso including. a keeper mounted on the underside of said lectern paneland disposed to engage said bolt in the lowered position of said lecternpanel.

3. A table-lectern structure, comprising:

a supporting frame; and

a lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said frameforcombined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panelbetween raised and lowered positions with respect to said frame, saidframe having components thereof extending directly underneath saidpanel, all of: said components being disposed beyond the verticalprojection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lecternpanel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to. saidraised position, said means connecting said lectern panel to said frameincluding a lock releasably interconnecting components of said structurehaving relative vertical movement during elevation of said lecternpanel. 4. A table-lectern structure, comprising: a supporting frame; anda lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said framefor combined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panelbetween raised and lowered positions With respect to said frame, saidframe having components thereof extending directly underneath saidpanel, all of said components being disposed beyond theverticalprojection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lecternpanel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to saidraised position, said means connecting said lectern panel to said frameincluding a link panel hinged at opposite edges thereof to said lecternpanel and to said frame, respectively, and a lock releasablyinterconnecting components of said struc ture having relative verticalmovement during elevation of said lectern panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID J. WlLLIAMOWSKY, PrimalExaminer.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TABLE-LECTERN STRUCTURE, COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING FRAME; AND ALECTERN PANEL AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID LECTERN PANEL TO SAID FRAME FORCOMBINED VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LECTERN PANEL BETWEENRAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME, SAID FRAMEHAVING COMPONENTS THEREOF EXTENDING DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH SAID PANEL, ALLOF SAID COMPONENTS BEING DISPOSED BEYOND THE VERTICAL PROJECTION OF ANELEVATED POSITION OF THE REAR EDGE OF SAID LECTERN PANEL WITH RESPECT TOTHE DIRECTION OF LATERAL MOVEMENT THEREOF OF SAID RAISED POSITION, SAIDFRAME INCLUDING A TABLE STRUCTURE HAVING A